The shocking rise of hungry children... in UK's schools

Four-fifths of teachers claim pupils turn up to school without having eaten enough

Tuesday 16 October 2012 06:11 BST

Rising numbers of children are going to school hungry due to a lack of money and interest from parents in providing a decent breakfast, research suggests.

Four in five teachers (79%) claim their pupils are turning up
for lessons hungry, with more than half (55%) saying the numbers
have increased in the past year, according to a report by
Kellogg's.

Two thirds of 500 teachers surveyed (68%) said the main reason
that children are arriving unfed is because of apathy by parents,
while a similar proportion (69%) cited a lack of time at home.

The survey concludes that families suffering financial hardship
is also an issue, with 57% of teachers suggesting a lack of money
is to blame for pupils going to school hungry.

In a bid to solve the problem, the report found that many
teachers are buying food for youngsters out of their own
pocket.

Nearly one in three (31%) of the teachers questioned said they
take food into school to give to hungry pupils, with 16% of primary
teachers saying they spend up to £24.99 a month feeding
youngsters.

But this food is not always healthy - while 60% take in fruit
and 45% bring in cereal bars, rice cakes and healthy savoury
snacks, 17% take in sweets, cake and chocolate, the report
claims.

It warns arriving for school hungry can impair a child's
concentration, cause behavioural problems and impact on
learning.

Asked how hunger can affect pupils, some 93% of teachers said it
decreases concentration, 87% said it increases tiredness, 73% said
it affects attainment and 71% said it leads to poor behaviour.

The report, published to mark the launch of Kellogg's "help give
a child a breakfast" campaign, suggests that breakfast clubs are a
cost-effective way to ensure that children eat before lessons, but
adds research has found that many clubs in schools across England
have closed in the past year due to lack of money.

Karin Woodley, chief executive of education charity ContinYou,
said: "Many families are really struggling financially and, in
extreme cases, this means that there simply isn't enough food to go
round. Breakfast clubs can provide a lifeline for these families so
we're extremely concerned to hear that many are being forced to
close."

Earlier this year, a survey by the Association of Teachers and
Lecturers (ATL) found that England's young children are being
served "very small" school dinners and given limited choice despite
paying more for their meals.

It revealed that almost a third of teachers do not believe that
school meals are value for money, with some warning that pupils are
often being given chips, pasta and rice rather than vegetables and
salad.

It also found that there has been an increase in free school
meals - a measure of poverty - as more families are hit by economic
problems.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said it was "worrying" to
hear of any child going hungry, insisting that the Government had
protected the schools budget and introduced the pupil premium,
which is dedicated funding for the most disadvantaged pupils.

:: The Opinion Matters survey for Kellogg's questioned 500
teachers between August 7-21.